WhatGradsMake
Bachelor's+20% vs national median2,908 grads tracked

Communication and Media Studies at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Ranked 8th of 307 bachelor's programs in Communication and Media Studies by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$44,314
middle 50%: $31,772 – $58,266
Median · 5 years out
$70,075
middle 50%: $52,154 – $96,834
Median · 10 years out
$98,724
middle 50%: $67,804 – $141,362

Salary trajectory

Median earnings vs the national median for Communication and Media Studies (bachelor's) graduates.

This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates

Graduates of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's bachelor's program in Communication and Media Studies earn a median $44,314 one year after graduating, rising to $98,724 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 20% above the national median of $58,421 for this field, ranking 8th of 307 reporting programs.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.

Will the degree pay for itself?

Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.

Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).

Paid off in
6.2 yrs
≈ $7,178 total interest

Same major at other universities

Fairfield University
$79,787 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Austin
$78,128 · 5 yrs out
University of Michigan
$77,750 · 5 yrs out
University of Connecticut
$74,785 · 5 yrs out
Bryant University
$73,245 · 5 yrs out
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
$71,101 · 5 yrs out
Texas A&M University
$70,072 · 5 yrs out
Utah Valley University
$69,615 · 5 yrs out
University of Arizona (The)
$69,303 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Bernard M. Baruch College
$69,154 · 5 yrs out
James Madison University
$68,505 · 5 yrs out
Saint John's University
$67,226 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$226,077 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$206,093 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$177,207 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$176,681 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$173,815 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$164,239 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$159,201 · 5 yrs out
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)
$152,834 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$151,479 · 5 yrs out
Physical Sciences (Doctorate)
$126,011 · 5 yrs out
Legal Professions and Studies (Doctorate)
$125,106 · 5 yrs out
Law (Doctorate)
$125,106 · 5 yrs out

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